Three Short Courses, Three Different Parts of the Trip
The short courses at Big Cedar Lodge are not smaller versions of the same experience. Cliffhangers is an 18-hole ride through caves, waterfalls and steep elevation changes. Mountain Top is a 13-hole walking course exposed to the Ozark wind. Top of the Rock is a nine-hole Jack Nicklaus course built around Table Rock Lake views and the wider Top of the Rock experience.
On a longer Big Cedar trip, the answer is to play all three. The useful comparison is not which one should be eliminated. It is how much time each requires, what kind of golf it provides and where it belongs beside Payne’s Valley, Ozarks National and Buffalo Ridge.
For the complete resort plan, start with our Big Cedar Lodge golf trip planning guide.
The Basic Differences
- Cliffhangers: 18 par-3 holes, approximately 60 to 170 yards and an average pace near three and a half hours. This is the biggest production and should be treated as its own round.
- Mountain Top: 13 par-3 holes, walking only and roughly two hours. This is the most natural fit after another round in the Payne’s Valley and Ozarks National golf area.
- Top of the Rock: Nine par-3 holes and roughly one hour and 45 minutes. This is the easiest course to connect with dinner, sunset and the other Top of the Rock attractions.
Those time estimates matter. The term short course can make golfers think they are booking a quick hour before dinner. Only Top of the Rock consistently fits that description, and even there the course deserves enough time to enjoy the setting.
Cliffhangers: The Full-Round Short Course
Cliffhangers opened in 2025 after six years of development. Johnny Morris and his son John Paul used a steep hillside beside Payne’s Valley to build 18 par-3 holes through limestone walls, creeks, caves and large elevation changes.
The yardages are short, but the decisions are not repetitive. Some holes play sharply downhill, others require carries across water or rock, and the elevation can make the number on the card a poor guide to the actual shot. The greens and surrounding slopes also keep the course from becoming a simple wedge contest.
The setting becomes part golf course and part guided route through the property. The third plays from within a cave high above its target. After the 18th, the return trail runs through additional rock formations, water features, a cave and a 200-foot waterfall. This is Big Cedar at its most constructed and theatrical.
That scale is why Cliffhangers should not be scheduled like a casual nine-hole add-on. Big Cedar lists an average pace of three and a half hours. Add warm-up, check-in, the return trail and a meal, and the experience occupies most of a morning or afternoon.
Where Cliffhangers Fits
Pair it geographically with Payne’s Valley, but do not assume both rounds make an easy day. Payne’s Valley itself averages close to five hours. Strong groups may enjoy the full golf day, while others will get more from Cliffhangers on arrival afternoon or as the primary round between two championship-course days.
Mountain Top: The Walking Round
Mountain Top is a 13-hole course designed by Gary Player and Johnny Morris. It follows a high ridgeline through exposed limestone and open views, and it is the only one of the three that requires everyone to walk.
The walk is under two miles and much of the course is relatively flat or downhill, although there are uphill sections near the beginning and end. That makes Mountain Top accessible to many golfers, but it still feels like a walk through the landscape rather than a cart ride between short shots.
Wind is a major part of the golf. The open setting can turn a simple yardage into a different club and trajectory, especially on holes playing uphill or toward greens that slope away from the tee. The second is a long uphill shot to a multi-tiered green. The seventh plays downhill toward a surface that falls away. The ninth brings limestone, caves and the course’s largest bunker into view.
Mountain Top provides the strongest traditional golf rhythm of the three. You carry or push the bag, move directly between holes and deal with changing wind, elevation and green contours. It is shorter than Cliffhangers without feeling like an attraction squeezed around the edges of the resort.
Where Mountain Top Fits
The two-hour pace makes Mountain Top the easiest second round in the Payne’s Valley and Ozarks National area. It works particularly well after a morning round when the group wants more golf without committing to another four or five hours. The Mountain Top clubhouse and grill also give the day a natural stopping point.
Top of the Rock: Golf, Lake Views and Dinner
Top of the Rock is the oldest and shortest of the three, but it has a role the others cannot replace. Jack Nicklaus designed its nine par-3 holes on high ground overlooking Table Rock Lake. Some holes stretch beyond 200 yards, so the course asks for more than a series of partial wedges.
The golf uses lakes, cliffs, exposed rock and heavily shaped greens. The final tee looks down toward the ninth green with Table Rock Lake beyond it, while the Buffalo Bar terrace and Osage Restaurant sit beside the finish. If the timing is right, the round moves naturally into drinks, dinner and sunset without another trip across the resort.
Top of the Rock is located away from the main Payne’s Valley golf area. Players are directed to the Buffalo Ridge practice facility if they want a full warm-up, which is another reason to plan the course around that part of the property instead of treating it as interchangeable with Mountain Top.
Where Top of the Rock Fits
Use it on arrival day, before dinner or during an afternoon built around Top of the Rock. It is the best choice when non-golfing companions want to meet the group afterward, because the restaurants, views and other attractions make the finish useful for everyone.
Which Course Is the Most Challenging?
Cliffhangers is the largest test because it has 18 holes, severe elevation changes and the widest range of unusual shots. It also requires the most time and attention.
Mountain Top may produce the most honest golf challenge. The wind is exposed, every golfer walks and the green contours can turn a missed number into a difficult recovery. It rewards controlling trajectory more than simply admiring the setting.
Top of the Rock is only nine holes, but its length, water and sloping greens keep it from becoming a warm-up course. The challenge is concentrated into fewer holes rather than removed.
Which Has the Best Setting?
Each course shows a different version of Big Cedar.
- Cliffhangers has the most dramatic constructed scenery, with caves, waterfalls and shots across steep limestone ground.
- Mountain Top feels most connected to the exposed Ozark ridgeline and open air.
- Top of the Rock provides the strongest Table Rock Lake views and the best sunset finish.
The difference is useful when planning the full trip. Playing all three does not feel like repeating 40 par-3 holes because the movement, setting and length of the experience change each time.
How to Play All Three
A four-night trip can include the three championship courses and all three short courses, but it requires at least two double-round days. That structure suits groups comfortable being around golf from breakfast through dinner.
A five-night stay is better if the group wants all six courses without rushing. A practical order is:
- Play Top of the Rock on arrival afternoon and stay for dinner.
- Pair Mountain Top with a morning round at Payne’s Valley or Ozarks National.
- Give Cliffhangers its own afternoon or pair it only with an early round when the group understands the combined pace.
Course order still depends on availability, daylight and seasonal operating dates. The important point is to protect enough time for each experience rather than filling every open space with another tee time.
FAQ
Is Cliffhangers a full-length golf course?
Cliffhangers is an 18-hole par-3 course. Its holes range from approximately 60 to 170 yards, but the average round takes about three and a half hours because of its scale, terrain and routing.
Do you have to walk Mountain Top?
Yes. Mountain Top is walking only, with pushcarts permitted. The total walk is under two miles, with most of the routing relatively flat or downhill and a few uphill sections.
How long does Top of the Rock take?
Big Cedar lists an average pace of approximately one hour and 45 minutes for its nine holes. Allow additional time if the group plans to warm up elsewhere or stay for dinner and the sunset experience.
Can you play all three short courses on one Big Cedar trip?
Yes. Four nights can work with an aggressive schedule. Five nights provides a better pace when the group also intends to play Payne’s Valley, Ozarks National and Buffalo Ridge.
Which short course should you play if time only allows one?
Choose based on the open space in the itinerary. Cliffhangers is the most complete standalone round, Mountain Top is the best second round near the main golf complex, and Top of the Rock is the best fit before dinner or sunset.
Plan the Trip
The goal is not to choose one short course and ignore the others. It is to place all three around the championship rounds without turning the trip into a race between tee times. Share the group size, dates and preferred Big Cedar courses, and JEL can arrange the golf and lodging in the right order.
